May 13, 2013

This is an excellent example of how the conservatives have managed to brainwash the public into believing that government is the enemy. It seems incredible that anyone could argue that stricter fire codes along with regular inspections would not have helped to avoid this tragedy.

One problem is that as long as regulation is local, industry just needs to threaten to move its jobs elsewhere. “Let us poison your air and drinking water, or you might lost your job” is the choice that people in many communities are given.

As that great Republican Teddy Roosevelt believed, government must be as big as the industry it regulates. I doubt that he would be welcome in today’s G.O.P.